National Museum of Archaeology

The National Museum of Archaeology displays everyday objects, figurines and architectural remains found during excavations in Malta. The collection houses statues, pottery, daggers and decorative objects found in the megalithic temples of Gozo and Malta.

Situated on the centrally located Republic Street, the National Museum of Archaeology is housed in a historic Baroque building that served as accommodation for the Knights of the Order of St John in the 16th century.

The collection

The National Museum of Archaeology exhibits important artefacts from the Neolithic period. The oldest objects date back to 5000 BC when the first settlements on the islands took place.

Among the treasures found in the archaeological excavations in Malta are Bronze Age daggers, statuettes of gods, phallic-shaped figures, necklaces and decorative objects, human and animal representations, and other valuable items.

Furthermore, thanks to the museum's information panels, you can find out how the archaeological excavations were carried out in the megalithic temples and how the objects found were put to good use.

Undoubtedly the most famous piece in the Archaeological Museum is The Sleeping Lady, found in the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum. Also noteworthy are the altars from the Temples of Tarxien and the Venus found in Hagar Qim.

Don't miss it!

Although the National Archaeological Museum of Malta isn't very large, it houses priceless artefacts that offer invaluable insights into Malta's history and the lifestyle of the prehistoric civilisations that inhabited the islands.

If you have already visited the Hypogeum and the megalithic temples of Ggantija, Hagar Qim and Tarxien; visiting the National Museum of Archaeology will give you a more complete picture of the Neolithic period in Malta.